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Eight years on, Sukhbir tenders apology for 2015 sacrilege case in Punjab
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal on Thursday apologised to the Sikh community for failing to nab the culprits in the Bargari sacrilege case in 2015, when his party was in power
Amritsar: Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal on Thursday apologised to the Sikh community for failing to nab the culprits in the Bargari sacrilege case in 2015, when his party was ruling the state in alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Addressing a gathering during the 103rd foundation day of the party in Amritsar, Badal said: “I regret that the sacrilege took place during our rule. The sangat (community) is enraged over the fact that it happened during Panthic Sarkar (Sikh government). Standing in front of Akal Takht, as chief volunteer of SAD, I would like to apologise to Guru Maharaja and Panth, in case anyone was hurt by any of our actions during our government.”
The sacrilege case pertains to the desecration of the Guru Granth Sahib, the Sikh holy book, in a gurdwara in Bargari village of Faridkot district. On the morning of October 12, 2015, more than 110 Angs (pages) of the holy book was found lying on the ground in front of the gurdwara.
In the protests that erupted, two people from the community were killed in police firing, at Behbal Kalan village, an incident that further aggravated the law and order situation in the district. CBI took over the probe in November that year. The case cost the Akalis the 2017 assembly polls.
On July 4, 2019, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) filed a closure report after it failed to establish the involvement of the accused in the case.
Badal, who was the deputy chief minister at the time of the incident, alleged that his government was now allowed to complete its probe into the matter.
“We will have to know how it (incident) happened. When we began to inquire about the case, pressure was put on us and we were not allowed to complete the task. Under pressure, we had to hand over the probe to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI),” he said.
“However, it was said that we did not catch the culprits. We apologise for this as well. But we promise to put the culprits behind bars after coming to power, besides exposing those who politicised the issue to harm the party which is fauj (defence) and strength of the Khalsa Panth,” he added, with folded hands.
The SAD chief said his father and former chief minister, Parkash Singh Badal, often spoke of how upset he was over such instances of sacrilege. “Sardar Parkash Singh Badal often spoke of how upset he was over such cases of sacrilege happening under this government. He used to say that he was not given a chance to nab the culprits,” he said.
“Actually, so many forces united at that time, considering it as an opportunity to corner the government. They started playing politics. We reeled under so much pressure that we were compelled to hand over the matter to CBI. Sacrilege incidents have happened after our government as well. Where are those people who played politics?” he added.
“On behalf of Parkash Singh Badal and as chief of the party, I once again seek apology by bowing my head before you, if we committed any mistake knowingly or unknowingly,” he said.
He called upon dissident Akali leaders to unite because “excesses against the community have started”. “Only a powerful army can defeat the enemies,” he said.
Chief minister Bhagwant Mann speaking over SAD chief’s apology said the people of Punjab would never forgive the Badals for their “sins”.
Punjab Vidhan Sabha speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan said it is very necessary to see the purpose of Sukhbir Badal behind this apology. He alleged that in 2015, a series of incidents of desecration of the sacred Guru Granth Sahib took place but the Akali government adopted a “completely negligent attitude”, which emboldened the anti-social elements.
Congress leader and Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa said, “Sukhbir Singh Badal is attempting to reclaim his lost ground with an apology.”
“The real traits of the Badals have already been exposed. The people of Punjab wouldn’t accept his apology now,” he added.
“Sukhbir Singh Badal should also have told the Sikh Sangat about who ordered the police to fire on the peacefully protesting Sikhs in Behbal Kalan village of Kotkapura, where two young Sikhs were killed,” he said.
In order to please the Dera Sacha Sauda head, Gurmeet Ram Rahim and his followers, the SAD (B) didn’t get the sacrilege cases investigated properly”, Bajwa added.
State BJP chief Sunil Jakhar said, “It is not the words that matter. What matters is the intent and the sincerity. People are the better judge. Sukhbir will have to prove the sincerity before the people that he felt really bad”.
